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- Netrlix’s rated-G movies continue to be a shockingly small pool of obscure films, with only a few notable standouts. Parents looking for family-friendly picks will be glad to know that thanks to some recent additions, there are at least some G-rated films on Netflix that are worth streaming for the next movie night.
With the inception of Disney+, the production giant has removed almost all Disney content from Netflix, including all animated features. When it comes to selecting the next family movie night or G-rated movie binge, it can be difficult to sift through the features designed solely for younger audiences, alienating older children and adults from enjoying the story. Like all genres of ratings and films, there are ones that are worth the watch and ones that are not.
From a few Hollywood classics to an Oscar-winning documentary feature, Netflix has a wide selection of family-friendly PG films, but a minimal selection of G or TV-G films (mainly documentaries). The streaming giant’s kids category is home to an extensive catalog of TV-Y spinoff films, TV series, or shorts, but not many features that would entertain both young and old. These selected best titles among Netflix’s G-rated movies are sure to entertain kids and parents.
Updated on March 1, 2023, by Hannah Saab:
Netrlix’s rated-G movies continue to be a shockingly small pool of obscure films, with only a few notable standouts. Parents looking for family-friendly picks will be glad to know that thanks to some recent additions, there are at least some G-rated films on Netflix that are worth streaming for the next movie night.
‘A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon’ (2019)
Stop-motion’s most iconic sheep has his own Netflix movie now! After an alien ship crash-lands near Mossy Bottom Farm, Shaun must help the space creature get home before the wrong people capture her. The lovable character first appeared in 2007 in Shaun the Sheep, a British television series that ran until 2020. Returning for his fifth Shaun the Sheep project, voice actor Justin Fletcher reprises his role, totaling seven times he’s brought the animal to life.
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is Netflix’s only feature film with the franchise, there are currently two series and two other shorts available. The 2015 original Shaun the Sheep Movie is not available on Netflix at this time, but like the original Farmageddon received high praise from fans and a certified fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics.
‘Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop’ (2021)
An underappreciated animated movie that tells a tale of young love and teen growing pains, Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop is a Japanese Netflix original film. Cherry, a boy who wears headphones and expresses his words through Haiku poems, meets Smile, a bubbly but self-conscious girl, and the two share a brief, but magical summer romance. The film’s original language is Japanese, but dubbed versions are available on the streaming giant.
While Netflix houses the film in its Kids section and lists the film as rated TV-G with mild violence and suitable for audiences, IMDb indicates a TV-PG rating. Before streaming the film with younger audience members, be sure to exercise due diligence to see if the content is right for your next movie night.
‘Robin Robin’ (2021)
A Netflix original, this 32-minute short film follows the tale of Robin (voiced by Bronte Carmichael) as she is raised by mice and begins to question who she is and where she belongs. Featuring voices from the acclaimed Gillian Anderson and Richard E. Grant, Robin Robin is a quick watch with excellent stop-motion animation.
Like many children’s films, there are constructive themes that use animals and animated storytelling to get the overarching message across to young viewers. Here, the film tackles growing up with an adoptive family and finding your own identity, a message that critics and audiences felt was well-crafted in its short runtime.
‘Rescued by Ruby’ (2022)
Based on a true story, Rescued by Ruby is about finding home and following your dreams, as a state trooper partners with a naughty shelter dog to join the elite K-9 unit. The film draws inspiration from the real-life tale of Rhode Island State Police Officer Dan O’Neil (played by Grant Gustin onscreen) and Ruby, a shelter dog that had been adopted and returned by five different families before finding a home with O’Neil.
While the film takes some creative liberties, the foundation of the story remains clear throughout. With its TV-G rating, critics and audiences enjoyed the heartwarming tale. The film’s canine stars, Bear and Shiloh, were rescue dogs like their character Ruby, adding to the heart and emotion this film will surely bring out during your family’s next movie night.
‘Headspace: Unwind Your Mind’ (2021)
A short documentary film billed as an interactive mindfulness experience, Headspace: Unwind Your Mind is a wholly unique offering on the platform. It delves into the crucial role that practices like mindfulness and meditation can play in people’s daily lives, especially when it comes to dealing with stress and anxiety.
The film breaks down psychological concepts in a way that even the youngest audiences can understand, and presents them with the signature eye-catching visuals that Headspace has become known for. While a viewing experience that will benefit mature viewers more than very young kids, it is an excellent way to introduce important concepts to the whole family.
‘White Christmas’ (1954)
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A holiday classic, White Christmas remains a go-to favorite when the season rolls around. Former soldiers Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) are song-and-dance men who team up with a sister act to save their former commanding general’s Vermont in just in time for Christmas. While the film earned only one Oscar nomination at the 27th Academy Awards, it did not take home the golden statue.
Co-starring Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen, the holiday musical teeters between a Not Rated and G rating, with Netflix currently listing it as TV-G with its depiction of smoking. The streaming platform indicates that it is suitable for all general audiences. An iconic film depicting the magic of old Hollywood, White Christmas makes for a solid choice for the next holiday party.
‘The Beginning of Life’ (2016)
Director Estela Renner‘s The Beginning of Life is a beautiful exploration of early childhood development that draws from diverse perspectives from caregivers around the world. The documentary film delves into caring adults’ impact on children’s lives, and how these early years can shape their bright futures.
Through informative interviews and explanations of studies all broken down into simple concepts, the film can serve as a unique bonding experience for parents and their children. While the lessons imparted here will benefit adults more than kids, the reinforcement of the importance of that parent-child relationship is made better if the whole family is present and learning together.
‘My Octopus Teacher’ (2020)
My Octopus Teacher is an emotional documentary feature that reinvigorates the relationship between man and the ocean. The film is narrated by and focuses on the diving experiences of Craig Foster as he befriends a female octopus living in the kelp forests off the coast of South Africa. Foster gains the creature’s trust as he learns more about her mysterious world.
Winning the Best Documentary Feature Oscar at the 93rd Academy Awards, this top-scoring Netflix original documentary is not the standard nature documentary, engaging heavily in the relationship between Foster and the sea creature while putting humanity in perspective. Critics and audiences praised the film as it invoked every type of emotion during its one-hour and twenty-five-minute runtime.
‘Swades’ (2004)
Swades is a beloved Bollywood classic directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starring the iconic Shah Rukh Khan as a successful NASA scientist named Mohan Bhargava. When he decides to return to India to look for his childhood nanny, he’s shocked by the differences in access to basic resources, education, and quality of life in the rural areas of the country.
Mohan’s story is an inspiring one, and is inextricably linked with lessons about community and the value of one’s home. Of course, the stellar performance from the iconic leading man, Shah Rukh Khan, elevates the film to its legendary status. Viewers looking for a touching and uplifting movie with a strong message about helping others don’t have to look further than Swades.
‘Hachi: A Dog’s Tale’ (2009)
A tear-jerking drama film that puts the spotlight on man’s best friend, director Lasse Hallström‘s Hachi: A Dog’s Tale tells the story of Parker Wilson (Richard Gere), a professor who encounters the titular lost puppy at the local train station and takes him home. Based on the true story of a Japanese dog named Hachicko, the movie depicts the touching way Hachi accompanies his owner to the train station every single day, where he also waits for Parker to get home from work. When Parker unexpectedly passes away at work, Hachi is left waiting at that same train station for the rest of his days.
Both heartwarming and heartbreaking, Hachi relies on the beautiful bond that forms between Parker and the dog he adopts to reel viewers in. This is what makes it so painful to watch the loyal Hachi wait for his owner and best friend, who he doesn’t realize will never come home again. It’s the perfect pick for families with pets, as it’s a helpful introduction to the concept of death and what this means for those who get left behind.
